One Piece Thundergod Marine

The following day at G-10 Base.

"Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"

Mihawk hadn't slept all night, yet his mental and physical state was impeccably sharp, like a blade sheathed, fully contained but ready to strike.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting. With all that happened, I had to report back to Fleet Admiral and the others first," Rowen said politely, nodding as he stepped aside. "After you."

Mihawk, not saying much, steeled himself and followed the soldier to the aircraft.

Rowen had no desire to repeat yesterday's events, which had placed enormous psychological pressure on the G-10 soldiers. 

Therefore, they selected an abandoned Sky Island, left deserted after the Golden Lion's invasion, as the battleground. This way, even if the battle reached apocalyptic intensity, the outside world would remain largely unaffected.

As he watched the aircraft take off, Ain, standing at the edge of the harbor, frowned and asked, "Why is Mihawk causing trouble for Rowen?"

Ain only learned about Mihawk's arrival right after Rowen's departure, so other than Rowen and Dante, no one knew the reason for Mihawk's visit.

"Not sure," Dante replied with a slight smile. "But there's no way the Vice Admiral can lose."

The current "Soryu (Azure Dragon)" Rowen was already at the peak of the world's power.

Even if he couldn't end the fight quickly, his enhanced self-healing ability guaranteed his victory sooner or later. Mihawk was undoubtedly strong, the "World's Greatest Swordsman"! 

His duel against Red-Haired Shanks at Reverse Mountain had ended in a draw, solidifying his title. That battle was a turning point, and when Shanks lost his arm in East Blue afterward, the opportunity for another duel between the two was lost. 

For a swordsman, losing an arm was a devastating setback. Without something like a prosthetic arm, how could one face off against an opponent?

Even so, Dante still doubted Mihawk's prospects against the "Soryu (Azure Dragon)" Rowen. Rowen's true advantage lies in his well-known yet unstoppable "Undying" abilities.

"Hmph, men who move with fists instead of brains!" Ain said with a frown.

Dante awkwardly scratched his nose.

Yesterday, upon learning of Mihawk's arrival, Dante had acted just as Ain said— moving with his fists before his mind. A chance to challenge the "World's Greatest Swordsman" wasn't one he wanted to miss. What swordsman would?

---

"Thank you, Gan Fall."

At Angel Island's Port Fair, Rowen and his soldiers disembarked, nodding in respect to Gan Fall, the "God" of Angel Island, or simply, its "King."

"There's no need to thank me, Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon). If it weren't for you defeating the Golden Lion back then, we wouldn't be here today," Gan Fall replied respectfully, fully aware of the power this young man carried.

"The residents of the seven surrounding islands have been evacuated. Everyone is honored to support the Vice Admiral's work." Gan Fall hesitated. "And afraid."

Rowen shot him a look, reading the unspoken sentiment.

After the battle with the Golden Lion, both Golden Lion's "Cloud Lion" and Rowen's final "Nine Dragons Descend" left a lasting mark on the people of Angel Island. The Marines' strict measures also made it clear that not everyone from the Blue Sea shared the same customs and rules as Angel Island.

Without strength, rules meant nothing.

Now, with G-10, "Soryu (Azure Dragon)" Rowen, and Marine Headquarters as external forces, Angel Island's people and the Shandians were more united than ever.

"Gan Fall, why wasn't I informed that Monet was taken?" Rowen asked suddenly, making Gan Fall pause.

"Wasn't it you who ordered Colonel Ain to take her away?" Gan Fall asked, confused.

Rowen: "…"

Gan Fall quickly pieced it together and anxiously asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's fine. If she's gone, she's gone," Rowen responded, cutting off Gan Fall's follow-up questions.

Then, he turned to Mihawk, who had disembarked from the aircraft and was calmly observing his surroundings.

"If you really think this fight matters, I'll be waiting there, Mihawk."

Mihawk looked him squarely in the eyes, his gaze unflinching.

"It's not a question of whether it matters, Soryu (Azure Dragon)," he replied. "It's whether I'm willing to draw my sword for it. Just like those kids who broke into G-10 yesterday."

The courage to swing his blade, even when facing defeat, was what Mihawk valued most. He would risk everything to show the world—never stop moving forward, no matter what.

"Oh, alright then," Rowen sneered. "The song of humanity is a song of courage; how poetic."

"Too bad…" Before Mihawk could question him, Rowen vanished.

He could've reached the battleground from G-10 in two seconds but took the aircraft just to see if Mihawk might change his mind. Apparently, that wasn't happening.

---

"Mihawk, do you remember when you asked why I'd stake an arm on the New Age?"

In the Red-Haired Sea of the New World, snow blanketed a small deserted island. In a cave, Shanks sat against a wall, lost in thought, his single hand holding a cup.

"You told me it was to carry on Roger's will, right?" Mihawk questioned, frowning.

But Shanks' gaze wasn't on his generation— it was on the next. He saw in Monkey D. Luffy the embodiment of the New Age. While Mihawk lived for swordsmanship, for Shanks, it was about passing down Roger's legacy.

"Not just Roger's will," Shanks replied, surprising Mihawk.

"Then, what?"

Shanks grinned through his drunken haze. "Just to keep chasing freedom."

"Captain's last words were simple— do what you want."

Mihawk listened, feeling confused. Shanks wasn't expecting Luffy to accomplish legendary feats. He simply saw in the boy's eyes Roger's unwavering spirit— the courage to face any storm without retreating.

"You risked an arm just for that?" Mihawk questioned, perplexed.

"Yep, just for that." Shanks scratched his head with an awkward grin, sensing Mihawk's frustration. "I'm a pirate, after all!"

Mihawk always thought he lacked Shanks' sense of optimism, focusing solely on mastering the sword. That was until, in East Blue, he met a weak yet determined green-haired swordsman.

---

Standing on the flat island in the sky, Mihawk's expression changed abruptly.

"The Benevolent Hero… Fujitora!!!"

(End Of Chapter)

You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395